the town of Orlová in the Czech Republic was named for the eagle that, legend has it, caused the premature birth of Kazimierz, son of Duke Mieszko and his wife, Ludmiła, on the spot where the town was founded?

In a 1948 coup d'état, Czechoslovakia became a communist-ruled state. In 1968, the increasing dissatisfaction culminated in attempts to reform the communist regime. The events, known as the Prague Spring of 1968, ended with an invasion by the armies of the Warsaw Pact countries (with the exception of Romania); the troops remained in the country until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, when the communist regime collapsed. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved into its constituent states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Name

The country was for centuries known as Bohemia in English. When the nation regained its independence in 1918, the new name of Czechoslovakia was adopted to reflect the union of the Czech (Bohemian) and Slovak territories that were merged together after the WWI. The word Czech itself came into English later via Polish.[8] The current English spelling is the same as an antiquated Czech spelling, however it is unlike the modern Čechy and Česko. This discrepancy arises from a 15th century reform of Czech orthography.

Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the Czech half of the former nation found itself without a common single-word name in English. In 1993, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested the name Czechia as an official alternative in all situations other than formal official documents and the full names of government institutions; however, this has not become widespread in English, despite the fact that most other languages have single-word names for the country (usually their own variants of "Czechia").

History

Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human settlements in the area, dating back to the Neolithic era. In the classical era, from the 3rd century BC Celtic migrations, the Boii (see Bohemia) and later in the 1st century, Germanic tribes of Marcomanni and Quadi settled there. During the Migration Period around the 5th century, many Germanic tribes moved westwards and southwards out of Central Europe.

In an equally significant migration, Slavic peoples from the Black Sea and Carpathian regions settled in the area (a movement that was also stimulated by the onslaught of peoples from Siberia and Eastern Europe: Huns, Avars, Bulgars and Magyars). Following in the Germans' wake, they moved southwards into Bohemia, Moravia and some of present day Austria. During the 7th century, the Frankish merchant, Samo, supporting the Slavs fighting their Avar rulers, became the ruler of the first known Slav state in Central Europe. The Moravian principality arose in the 8th century (see Great Moravia).

In 1212, King Přemysl Otakar I (1198–1230), bearing the title “king“ already since 1198, extracted a Golden Bull of Sicily (a formal edict) from the emperor, confirming the royal title for Otakar and his descendants. The 13th century was also a period of large-scale German immigration. The Germans populated towns and mining districts on the Bohemian periphery and, in some cases, formed German colonies in the interior of the Czech lands. In 1235, the mighty Mongol army launched an invasion of Europe and after the Battle of Legnica, the Mongols carried their devastating raid into Moravia.[10]

King Přemysl Otakar II (1253–1278) earned the nickname of "the King of Gold and Iron" due to his military power and wealth. He acquired Austria, Styria and Carinthia thus spreading the Bohemian territory to the Adriatic sea. He met his death at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278, in a war with his rival, the Roman king Rudolph I of Germany.[11] Ottokar's son Wenceslaus II acquired the Polish crown in 1300 for himself and the Hungarian crown for his son. In 1306, however, the Přemyslid line died out and, after a series of dynastic wars, the House of Luxembourg gained the Bohemian crown.

The 14th century, particularly the reign of Charles IV (1342–1378), is considered the Golden Age of Czech history. Of particular significance was the founding of Charles University in Prague in 1348. The Black Death, which had raged in Europe from 1347 to 1352, decimated the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1380,[12] killing about 10% of the population.[13]

In the 15th century the religious and social reformer Jan Hus formed a movement, later named after him. Although Hus was named a heretic and burnt in Constanz in 1415, his followers seceded from the Catholic Church and in the Hussite Wars (1419–1434) defeated five crusades organized against them by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Petr Chelčický continued with Czech Hussite Reformation movement.

During the next two centuries, 90% of the inhabitants converted to the Hussite form of Protestantism. After 1526 Bohemia came increasingly under Habsburg control as the Habsburgs became first the elected and then the hereditary rulers of Bohemia. The Defenestration of Prague and subsequent revolt against the Habsburgs in 1618 marked the start of the Thirty Years' War, which quickly spread throughout Germany. In 1620, the rebellion in Bohemia was crushed at the Battle of White Mountain and the country became a province of the Austrian monarchy. The war had a devastating effect on the local population; the people were given the choice either to convert to Catholicism or leave the country.

Czechs call the following period, from 1620 to the late 18th century, the "Dark Age". The population of the Czech lands declined by a third due to war, disease, famine and the expulsion of the Protestant Czechs.[14] The Habsburgs banned all religions other than Catholicism.[15]Ottoman Turks and Tatars invaded Moravia in 1663, taking 12,000 slaves.[16]

The remainders of Slovakia and the Subcarpathian Rus gained greater autonomy, with the state renamed to "Czecho-Slovakia" (The Second Republic; see German occupation of Czechoslovakia). After Nazi Germany threatened to annex part of Slovakia, allowing the remaining regions to be partitioned by Hungary and Poland, Slovakia chose to maintain its national and territorial integrity, seceding from Czecho-Slovakia in March 1939 and allying itself, as demanded by Germany, with Hitler's coalition.[19]

In 1945–1946, almost the entire German minority in Czechoslovakia, about 2.7 million people, were expelled to Germany and Austria. During this time, thousands of Germans were held in prisons and detention camps, or used as forced labour. In the summer of 1945, there were several massacres. The only Germans not expelled were some 250,000, who had been active in the resistance against the Nazis or were considered economically important, though many of these emigrated later. Following a Soviet-organised referendum, the Subcarpathian Rus never returned under Czechoslovak rule, but became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, as the Zakarpattia Oblast in 1946.

Czechoslovakia uneasily tried to play the role of a "bridge" between the West and East. However, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia rapidly increased in popularity, with a general disillusionment with the West, due to the pre-war Munich Agreement, and a favourable popular attitude towards the Soviet Union, due to the Soviets' role in liberating Czechoslovakia from German rule. In the 1946 elections, the Communists gained 38% of the votes and became the largest party in the Czechoslovak parliament. They formed a coalition government with other parties of the National Front and moved quickly to consolidate power. The decisive step took place in February 1948, during a series of events characterized by Communists as a "revolution" and by anti-Communists as a "takeover", the Communist People's Militias secured control of key locations in Prague, and a new, all-Communist government was formed.

The invasion was followed by a harsh program of "Normalization" in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Until 1989, the political establishment relied on censorship of the opposition, though using more "carrot" than "whip" to secure the populace's passivity. Dissidents published Charter 77 in 1977 and the first of a new wave of protests were seen in 1988. Between 1948 and 1989 more than 250,000 Czechs and Slovaks were sent to prison for "anti-state activities", and over 400,000 emigrated.[21]

Velvet revolution and the Czech Republic

In November 1989, Czechoslovakia returned to a liberal democracy through the peaceful "Velvet Revolution". However, Slovak national aspirations strengthened and on January 1, 1993, the country peacefully split into the independent Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both countries went through economic reforms and privatisations, with the intention of creating a capitalist economy. This process was largely successful, as in 2006, the Czech Republic was recognised by the World Bank as a "developed country"[6] and in 2009 the Human Development Index ranked it as a nation of "Very High Human Development"[7].

Geography

The Czech landscape is exceedingly varied. Bohemia, to the west, consists of a basin drained by the Elbe (Czech: Labe) and the Vltava (or Moldau) rivers, surrounded by mostly low mountains, such as the Krkonoše range of the Sudetes. The highest point in the country, Sněžka at 1,602 m (5,256 ft), is located here. Moravia, the eastern part of the country, is also quite hilly. It is drained mainly by the Morava River, but it also contains the source of the Oder River (Czech: Odra).

Water from the landlocked Czech Republic flows to three different seas: the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea. The Czech Republic also leases the Moldauhafen, a 30,000-square-metre (7.4-acre) lot in the middle of the Hamburg Docks, which was awarded to Czechoslovakia by Article 363 of the Treaty of Versailles, to allow the landlocked country a place where goods transported down river could be transferred to seagoing ships. The territory reverts to Germany in 2028.

Weather and climate

The Czech Republic has a temperate continental climate, with relatively hot summers and cold, cloudy and snowy winters. Most rain falls during the summer. The temperature difference between summer and winter is relatively high, due to the landlocked geographical position.

Within the Czech Republic, temperatures vary greatly, depending on the elevation. In general, at higher altitudes, the temperatures decrease and precipitation increases. The wettest area in the Czech Republic is found around Bílý Potok in Jizera Mountains and the driest region is the Louny District to the northwest of Prague. Another important factor is the distribution of the mountains; therefore, the climate is quite varied.

At the highest peak of Sněžka (1,602 m/5,256 ft), the average temperature is only −0.4 °C (31 °F), whereas in the lowlands of the South Moravian Region, the average temperature is as high as 10 °C (50 °F). The country's capital, Prague, has a similar average temperature, although this is influenced by urban factors.

The coldest month is usually January, followed by February and December. During these months, there is usually snow in the mountains and sometimes in the major cities and lowlands. During March, April and May, the temperature usually increases rapidly, especially during April, when the temperature and weather tends to vary widely during the day. Spring is also characterized by high water levels in the rivers, due to melting snow with occasional flooding.

The warmest month of the year is July, followed by August and June. On average, summer temperatures are about 20 degrees higher than during winter. Especially in the last decade,[citation needed] temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) are not unusual. Summer is also characterized by rain and storms.

Autumn generally begins in September, which is still relatively warm and dry. During October, temperatures usually fall below 15 °C (59 °F) or 10 °C (50 °F) and deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. By the end of November, temperatures usually range around the freezing point.

The Jewish population of Bohemia and Moravia, 118,000 according to the 1930 census, was virtually annihilated by the Nazis during the Holocaust.[27] There were approximately 4,000 Jews in the Czech Republic in 2005.[28] The Czech prime minister, Jan Fischer, is of Jewish origin and faith.[29]

The fertility rate is a low 1.50 children per woman. Immigration increased the population by almost 1% in 2007. About 77,000 new foreigners settle down in the Czech Republic every year.[30]Vietnamese immigrants began settling in the Czech Republic during the Communist period, when they were invited as guest workers by the Czechoslovak government.[31] Today, there are an estimated 70,000 Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.[32] In contrast to Ukrainians, Vietnamese come to the Czech Republic to live permanently.[33]

At the turn of the 20th century, Chicago was the city with the third largest Czech population,[34] after Prague and Vienna.[35] According to the 2006 US census, there are 1,637,218 Americans of full or partial Czech descent.[36]

Religion

Top religious affiliations in the Czech Republic, census 1991–2001[37]

1991

2001

change

number

%

number

%

Roman Catholic Church

4,021,385

39.0

2,740,780

26.8

−12.2%

Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren

203,996

2.0

117,212

1.1

−0.8%

Czechoslovak Hussite Church

178,036

1.7

99,103

1.0

−0.8%

no religion

4,112,864

39.9

6,039,991

59.0

+19.1%

not identified

1,665,617

16.2

901,981

8.8

−7.4%

total population

10,302,215

100.0

10,230,060

100.0

The Czech Republic, along with Estonia, has one of the least religious populations in the world. Historically, the Czech people have been characterised as "tolerant and even indifferent towards religion".[38] According to the 2001 census, 59% of the country is agnostic, atheist or non-believer, 26.8% is Roman Catholic and 2.5% is Protestant.[39] According to the census, the fastest growing religions during the intercensal period between 1991 and 2001 was the non religious by 19.1 percent. Christianity showed negative growth, especially the Roman Catholic Church which lost more than 1 million of its members in 10 years. The largest population increase was No-religion which increased by nearly 2 million people.

According to the most recent—5 year old—Eurobarometer Poll in 2005,[40] 19% of Czech citizens responded that "they believe there is a God" (the second lowest rate among European Union countries after Estonia with 16%),[41] whereas 50% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 30% said that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".

The President of the Czech Republic is elected by a joint session of the parliament for a five-year term, with no more than two consecutive terms. The president is a formal head of state with limited specific powers, most importantly to return bills to the parliament, nominate Constitutional court judges for the Senate's approval and dissolve the parliament under certain special and unusual circumstances. He also appoints the prime minister, as well the other members of the cabinet on a proposal by the prime minister.

The Prime Minister is the head of government and wields considerable powers, including the right to set the agenda for most foreign and domestic policy, mobilize the parliamentary majority and choose government ministers.

The members of the Senate are elected in single-seat constituencies by two-round runoff voting for a six-year term, with one-third elected every even year in the autumn. The first election was in 1996, for differing terms. This arrangement is modelled on the U.S. Senate, but each constituency is roughly the same size and the voting system used is a two-round runoff. The Senate is unpopular among the public and suffers from low election turnout, overall roughly 30% in the first round and 20% in the second.

Armed forces

The Czech armed forces consist of the Army, Air Force and of specialized support units. In 2004, the Czech armed forces completely phased out conscription and transformed into a fully volunteer military army and air force. The country has been a member of NATO, since March 12, 1999. Defence spending is around 1.8% of the GDP (2006).

Regions and districts

Since 2000, the Czech Republic is divided into thirteen regions (Czech: kraje, singular kraj) and the capital city of Prague. Each region has its own elected Regional Assembly (krajské zastupitelstvo) and hejtman (usually translated as hetman or "president"). In Prague, their powers are executed by the city council and the mayor.

The older seventy-six districts (okresy, singular okres) including three "statutory cities" (without Prague, which had special status) lost most of their importance in 1999 in an administrative reform; they remain as territorial divisions and seats of various branches of state administration.[43]

Economy

Škoda Auto is one of the largest car manufacturers in Central Europe. In 2009, 684,226 cars were sold worldwide, a record for the company.

The Czech Republic possesses a developed,[44]high-income[45] economy with a GDP per capita of 82% of the European Union average.[46] One of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has seen a growth of over 6% annually in the last three years. Recent growth has been led by exports to the European Union, especially Germany and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving.

Most of the economy has been privatised, including the banks and telecommunications. The current centre-right government plans to continue with privatisation, including the energy industry and the Prague airport. It has recently agreed to the sale of a 7% stake in the energy producer, CEZ Group, with the sale of the Budějovický Budvar brewery also mooted.

The country has fully implemented the Schengen Agreement and therefore, has abolished border controls, completely opening its borders with all of its neighbours, Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia, on December 21, 2007.[47] The Czech Republic became a member of the World Trade Organisation.

The last Czech government led by social democrats had expressed a desire to adopt the euro in 2010, but the current centre-right government suspended that plan in 2007.[48] An exact date has not been set up, but the Finance Ministry described adoption by 2012 as realistic,[49] if public finance reform passes. However, the most recent draft of the euro adoption plan omits giving any date. Although the country is economically better positioned than other EU Members to adopt the euro, the change is not expected before 2013, due to political reluctance on the matter.[50]

On January 1, 2009, former Czech PM, Mirek Topolánek, declared that on November 1, 2009, the Czech government will announce a fixed date for euro adoption, since the country "currently fulfils all criteria for adoption of the euro", however his subsequent deposition has rendered this deadline moot.[51] There are several challenges, however. The rate of corruption remains one of the highest among the other developed OECD countries and the public budgets remain in deficit despite strong growth of the economy in recent years. However, the 2007 deficit has been 1.58% GDP and the 2008 deficit is expected at 1.2% GDP,[52] according to EU accounting rules, far better than original projections.

Infrastructure

Ruzyně International Airport is the main international airport in the country. In 2007, it handled 12.4 million passengers, which makes it one of the busiest airports in Central Europe. In total, Czech Republic has 46 airports with paved runways, six of which provide international air services.

České dráhy is the main railway operator in the Czech Republic, with about 180 million passengers carried yearly. Its cargo division, ČD Cargo, is the fifth largest railway cargo operator in the European Union. With 9,505 km (5,906.13 mi) of tracks, the Czech Republic has one of the densest railway networks in Europe.[54] From that number, 2,926 km (1,818.13 mi) is electrified, 7,617 km (4,732.98 mi) are single-line tracks and 1,866 km (1,159.48 mi) are double and multiple-line tracks.[55]

In 2005, according to the Czech Statistical Office, 65.4% of electricity was produced in steam, combined and combustion power plants (mostly coal); 30% in nuclear plants; and 4.6% from renewable sources, including hydropower. Russia, via pipelines through Ukraine and to a lesser extent, Norway, via pipelines through Germany, supply the Czech Republic with liquid and natural gas.

The Czech Republic is reducing its dependence on highly polluting low-grade brown coal as a source of energy. Nuclear energy presently provides about 30% of the total power needs, its share is projected to increase to 40%. Natural gas is procured from RussianGazprom, roughly three-fourths of domestic consumption and from Norwegian companies, which make up most of the remaining one-fourth. Russian gas is imported via Ukraine (Druzhba pipeline), Norwegian gas is transported through Germany. Gas consumption (approx. 100 TWh in 2003–2005) is almost two times higher than the electricity consumption. South Moravia has small oil and gas deposits.

Internet

The Czech Republic has the most Wi-Fi subscribers in the European Union.[57][58] By the beginning of 2008, there was over 800 mostly local WISPs,[59][60] with about 350,000 subscribers in 2007. Mobile internet is quite popular. Plans based on either GPRS, EDGE, UMTS or CDMA2000 are being offered by all three mobile phone operators (T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telefonica O2) and U:fon. Government-owned Český Telecom slowed down broadband penetration. At the beginning of 2004, local-loop unbundling began and alternative operators started to offer ADSL and also SDSL. This and later privatisation of Český Telecom helped drive down prices.

On July 1, 2006, Český Telecom was acquired by globalized company (Spain owned) Telefonica group and adopted new name Telefónica O2 Czech Republic. As of January 2006, ADSL2+ is offered in many variants, both with data limit and without with speeds up to 10 Mbit/s. Cable internet is gaining popularity with its higher download speeds beginning at 2 Mbit/s up to 100 Mbit/s. The largest ISP, UPC (which recently acquired another CATV internet provider Karneval in 2007), provides its service in the cities of Prague, Brno and Ostrava.

Tourism

Since the fall of Iron Curtain in 1989, Prague has become one of the most visited cities in Europe.

The Czech economy gets a substantial income from tourism. In 2001, the total earnings from tourism reached 118.13 billion CZK, making up 5.5% of GNP and 9.3% of overall export earnings. The industry employs more than 110,000 people – over 1% of the population.[61] In 2008, however, there was a slump in tourist numbers in Prague, possibly due to the strong Czech koruna (crown) making the country too expensive for visitors, compared to the level of services that were available.[62]

The country's reputation has also suffered with guidebooks and tourists reporting overcharging by taxi drivers and pickpocketing problems.[62][63] Since 2005, Prague's mayor, Pavel Bém, has worked to improve this reputation by cracking down on petty crime[63] and, aside from these problems, Prague is a relatively safe city; most areas are safe to walk around even after dark.[64] Also, the Czech Republic as a whole generally has a low crime rate.[65]

There are several centres of tourist activity. The historic city of Prague is the primary tourist attraction, as the city is also the most common point of entry for tourists visiting other parts of the country.[66] Most other cities in the country attract significant numbers of tourists, but the spa towns, such as Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně, are particularly popular holiday destinations. Other popular tourist sites are the many castles and chateaux, such as those at Karlštejn Castle, Český Krumlov and the Lednice–Valtice area. Away from the towns, areas such as Český ráj, Šumava and the Krkonoše Mountains attract visitors seeking outdoor pursuits.

Culture

Cuisine

Czech cuisine is marked by a strong emphasis on meat dishes. Pork is quite common; beef and chicken are also popular. Goose, duck, rabbit and wild game are served. Fish is rare, with the occasional exception of fresh trout and carp, which is served at Christmas.

Sciences

The Czech Republic has a rich scientific tradition. From the invention of the modern contact lens and separation of modern blood types, to the production of the Semtex plastic explosive, the world owes much of its scientific insight to prominent Czech scientists, including:

Literature

Czech literature is the literature written by Czechs or other inhabitants of the Czech state, mostly in the Czech language, although other languages like Old Church Slavonic, Latin or German have been also used, especially in the past. Modern authors from the Czech territory who wrote in other languages (e.g. German) are however sometimes considered separately, thus Franz Kafka, for example, who wrote in German (though he was also fluent in Czech), is often considered part of Austrian or German literature.

Czech literature is divided into several main time periods: the Middle Ages; the Hussite period; the years of re-Catholicization and the baroque; the Enlightenment and Czech reawakening in the 19th century; the avantgarde of the interwar period; the years under Communism and the Prague Spring; and the literature of the post-Communist Czech Republic. Czech literature and culture played a major role on at least two occasions, when Czech society lived under oppression and no political activity was possible. On both of these occasions, in the early 19th century and then again in the 1960s, the Czechs used their cultural and literary effort to create political freedom, establishing a confident, politically aware nation.

Theatre

Theatre of the Czech Republic has rich tradition with roots in the Middle Ages. In the 19th century, the theatre played an important role in the national awakening movement and later, in the 20th century it became a part of the modern European theatre art.

.The Czech Republic[1], [2] is a small landlocked country
in Central
Europe, situated south-east of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia (with which it used to form one
country of Czechoslovakia) to the south-east.^The republic is bounded by Poland on the north, Germany on the northwest and southwest, Austria on the south, and the Slovak Republic on the east.

Understand

.After the First World War, the closely related Czechs and
Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged together to
form the new nation of Czechoslovakia.^Social welfare programs in the former Czechoslovakia dated back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

^Yes, death to German and Hungarian Fascism so that Slav Fascism may flourishEurope is making a major mistake: It believes that Czechoslovakia is still number one and actually it is the Czech and the Slovak who drew a sharp dividing line between the first and the second republic.

.During the interwar years,
the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting
the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most
notably the Sudeten Germans and the Hungarians.^The new countries are the Czeck Republic and Slovakia.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians).

.A poor relationship
with the German minority (20% of the overall population) was a
particular problem that was capitalized on by Hitler and used as
"rationale" for the dismemberment of the nation before the outbreak
of WWII. The country was annexed and occupied by Germany during the
war.^After 20 years of little public participation, the population gradually started to take interest in the government, and Dubcek became a truly popular national figure.

^During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians).

.After World War II, Czechoslovakia expelled most of its
Germans by force and many of the ethnic Hungarians under direction
of the Potsdam Conference.^It is undeniable that what happened to the Sudeten Germans at the end of World War II in Czechoslovakia was genocide.

.However, the nation was very blessed in
the fact that it emerged from the war more or less intact as it
avoided the fate of the massive air bombardments that leveled most
of the historic neighboring cities in Germany, Austria, Poland and
Belarus.^As a landlocked nation, the Czech Republic relies on coastal outlets in Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, and Germany for international commerce by sea.

The country fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and
remained so by force until 1989.

.In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of
the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create
"socialism with a human face". Anti-Soviet demonstrations the
following year ushered in a period of harsh repression and
conservatism within the party ranks.^Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression.

In November 1989, the
Communist government was deposed in a peaceful "Velvet
Revolution".

.On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into
its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.^January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) .

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

.Now a member of
NATO (since 1999) and EU (since 2004), the Czech Republic has moved
toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both
opportunities and risks.^Czech Republic (since 1993) .

.The Czech Republic is not a large country but has a rich and
eventful history.^The area of the Czech Republic is 30,450 square miles (78,866 square kilometers), with Bohemia being twice as large as Moravia.

.From time immemorial Czechs, Germans, Jews and
Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French
tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon’s army have all lived and
worked here, all influencing one another.^One prototype was presented to the Czech and German army in 1938 - 39.

.For centuries they
jointly cultivated their land, creating works, which still command
our respect and admiration today.^In 1975 they created the performance work "Media Burn," in which Michels drove a Cadillac through a pyramid of burning television sets.

.It is thanks to their
inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with
hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and
even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive
artifacts.^This is certainly the impression which Herr von Weizscker gives; but I am not certain that the declarations of the State Secretary are still in accordance with the actual facts.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^The Czech Republic is essentially a country of small cities and towns.

.The Czech Republic contains a vast of amount of
architectural treasure and has beautiful forests and mountains to
match.^Estimated recoverable coal reserves in the Czech Republic amounted to 6,259 million short tons in 2001.

The Czech flag (see above) is the same one formerly used by
Czechoslovakia, having been readopted in 1993.

Easter (Velikonoce): On Easter Monday it is
customary for guys to (slightly) spank girls and women with a
wicker stick with colorful ribbons at the end (pomlázka),
in the hope that the girls and women will in turn give them colored
eggs, candy or drinks. After noon, girls defend themselves by
pouring water on the guys. .Obvious tourists are often (but not
always) exempt.

Witch Burning (Pálení čarodějnic) or
Night of Witches (Čarodějnice): On the last April
evening, bonfires are lit around the country.^Last night on CNN they talked about the fact that he can't use the internet or even send an email!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

"Witch" figurines, as
a symbol of evil, are made and burned in the fire. This is the
reinterpretation of the old pagan festival (Beltane) influenced by
Christian inquisition. .Because probably most Czechs would prefer
the witches over the inquisitors, in many fires no witches are
burnt, and the feast is celebrated in a more original pagan way -
witches are those who should celebrate the night, not be burnt.^It is timely because Victor Orbán , the Hungarian Prime Minister, has answered a question in a way that caused a major uproar in Czech and Slovak circles.

.It is celebrated usually in late April or early May, a week
or more before the final exams (maturita in Czech) take place (the
time may be different in different schools).^Czech was one of the Slavic languages at least as early as the ninth century, the time of the Great Moravian Czech Republic Empire.

Students get a free
day and usually do silly things in silly costumes. .They go to the
streets and collect money from people passing by, sometimes
threatening them with water, writing on their faces with a lipstick
or spraying them with perfume.^Maria Schmidt writes, Mrai writes that in this century more than 100 million people were the victims of collective punishment..

Feast of St. Mikuláš (St. Nicolaus, Santa Claus), Dec.
5: On this day, St. Mikuláš roams about with his consorts,
an angel and a devil. He gives small presents and candy to children
to reward them for their good behaviour throughout the year, while
the devil chastises children for their wrongdoings over the course
of the year and gives them potatoes, coal (or sometimes spankings)
as a punishment. .Old Town Square in Prague is a great place to
watch the festivities.

Christmas (Vánoce): Czechs begin celebrating
this holiday on Christmas Eve and continue to celebrate until the
26th (the Feast of Stephen).^Celebration 2003 at St. Michael's Church In Old Town 1633 N. Cleveland @ Eugenie St. Michael's Church in Old Town 312-266-1445 .

.Presents are placed under a Christmas
tree (by Ježíšek (The Baby Jesus) as little children
believe) and taken after dinner on Christmas Eve.^All this has taken place within a few hours and events have thus outrun the limits which your instructions had set to the conversation I am due presently to have.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Potato salad and
carp is a traditional Christmas meal, and for this reason one can
see live carp being sold out of huge tanks throughout the streets
of Czech cities and towns just before Christmas.

Regions

The Czech Republic can be divided in 2 historical regions:

Regions of Czech Republic

.Bohemia
The western part of the Czech Republic with the capital Prague.^The capital city of the Czech Republic, Prague, is located in the north central part of the country.

^The Jewish community numbers a few thousand today; a synagogue in Prague memorializes the names of more than 80,000 Czechoslovak Jews who perished in World War II. HISTORY The Czech Republic was the western part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

.Moravia-Silesia
The eastern part of the country, with Brno as it's largest city.^The next three largest cities are the capital of Moravia, Brno, with approximately 400,000 people; Ostrava in northern Moravia, with about 350,000; and Plzeň (Pilsen), with approximately 180,000.

.There are 14 political regions which are subdivided into
districts.^Since 1989, because of the political and economic changes, there has been a slow rise in regional differences in economic efficiency and economic attractiveness.

Cities

.These are just nine interesting cities selected
to represent variety of Czech urban areas.^On 11 March 1848, a demonstration in Prague demanded freedom of the press, equality of language, a parliament to represent Czech interests, and an end to serfdom.

Olomouc - A vibrant
riverside university town with a 1000 year history and the 2nd
largest historical centre in the Czech Republic.^The area of the Czech Republic is 30,450 square miles (78,866 square kilometers), with Bohemia being twice as large as Moravia.

^More than fifteen years ago, Czechoslovakia officially split into two nations – the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

.Olomouc’s rich
collection of historical architecture includes the UNESCO-listed
column of the Holy Trinity, six stone baroque fountains, several
churches and the renaissance town hall with a 15metre high
astronomical clock.^Astronomical clock on Old Town Hall.

^The historical and geographic term "Bohemian" is misleading, as it not only excludes Czech-speaking Moravians but includes members of several ethnic minorities that live in Bohemia but do not speak Czech.

Pilsen (Plzeň) -
Home of the original Pilsner Urquell beer, and the largest city in
West Bohemia

Telč - A small South
Moravian town with a perfectly preserved Renaissance town centre
which is surrounded by shallow man made lakes.^The Czech Republic is essentially a country of small cities and towns.

The town square is
surrounded by an arched walkway and colourful two-storey
renaissance houses. The chateau and Church of St James are open to
the public and its possible to hire rowboats from the lakeside in
the warmer months.

Český Ráj:
(Czech Paradise) A region of towering rock formations and
isolated castles located north-east of Prague.^The capital city of the Czech Republic, Prague, is located in the north central part of the country.

The gateway city of Jičín is an
interesting destination in its own right, but Turnov is closer to
most of the castles and rock formations. The twin towers of the
ruined castle Trosky are a symbol of the area and can be climbed
for the views

Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou: A small town circa 50 km from Jihlava
(towards Znojmo) with the Baroque Castle and Church of St.
Margaret

Krkonoše: (Giant
Mountains) The highest mountains in the Czech Republic along
the Polish border

Litomyšl monastery gardens

Litomyšl: A beautiful
small town in East Bohemia. .The renaissance main square and chateau
are among the Czech Republic’s prettiest and the town has been home
to many important and influential artists, including composer
Bedřich Smetana, sculptor Olbram Zoubek and painter Josef Váchal.^Renaissance vocal polyphonic music was composed and performed during the sixteenth century, Italian operas were presented not only in Prague but in smaller towns in the eighteenth century, and at the time when the Baroque was giving way to classicism, numerous musicians from the Czech lands were active in many European countries.

Terezín: A
red-brick baroque fortress 70km north of Prague beside the Ohře
river.^The chief rivers are the Labe (Elbe) and its main tributaries, the Vltava (Moldau) and the Ohře (Eger); the Elbe flows into the North Sea.

Get in

.Czech Republic is a member of the Schengen Agreement.^Brief summary of any particular UN System response affecting this country/state: The Czech Republic is a member of OECD and an associate member of EU. .

For EU, EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) or Swiss citizens, an
officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for
entry. .In no case will they need a visa for a stay of any length.^No wonder he likes Romney speaking for him saying we need to make sure America stays American.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The Reich seems to have mentioned that they would be prepared to give their guarantee to a neutral State, taking for granted that such a State would have no need for a strong army.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Others will generally need a passport for entry.

.There are no border controls between countries that have signed
and implemented the treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Norway
and Switzerland.^There is no doubt that the relaxation of controls on the Intelligentsia, which really began with Kadar's speech of Dec.

.Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member
is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented
the treaty.^This task is in our conditions a very slow and not at all a simple process similarly as in most other countries of the CEEC region.

.But be careful: Not all EU members have signed the
Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the
European Union.^In the near future, the Czech Republic's eco-labeling programme will be harmonized with that of the Member States of the European Union.

.Airports in Europe are thus divided into "Schengen" and
"non-Schengen" sections, which effectively act like "domestic" and
"international" sections elsewhere.^Hachas life can be divided into five sections.

.If you are flying from outside
Europe into one Schengen country and continuing to another, you
will clear Immigration and Customs at the first country and then
continue to your destination with no further checks.^July 15th, 2008 3:33 pm ET Another blunder McPuppet…..I guess you didn’t have Liebermann behind you so that he can pull your strings.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^(NH, 5/96, p.61) 1968 The Rogue River in southern Oregon was named as one the country's first national wild and Scenic rivers.

Travel between
a Schengen member and a non-Schengen country will result in the
normal border checks. .Note that regardless of whether you
travelling within the Schengen area or not, some airlines will
still insist on seeing your ID card or passport.^And here is the best part: If you lose your boss phone card PIN number email us and we will find your PIN for you absolutely free.

while British subjects with the right of abode in the
United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories citizens connected
to Gibraltar are considered "United Kingdom nationals for European
Union purposes" and therefore eligible for unlimited
access to the Schengen Area,

British Overseas Territories citizens without the
right of abode in the United Kingdom and British subjects
without the right of abode in the United Kingdom as well
as British Overseas citizens and British protected persons in
general do require visas.

.However, all British Overseas Territories citizens except those
solely connected to the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas are eligible
for British citizenship and thereafter unlimited access to the
Schengen Area.^All inhabitants of the Czechoslovak Republic, regardless of birth, citizenship, race or religion enjoy the complete and absolute protection of their life and freedom, exactly like the citizens of the country and in every area of the country.

^Applicable to all Danish territories except Greenland and to all territories over which the United States has jurisdiction or international responsibility except the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(**) Serbian citizens with passports issued by the Serbian
Coordination Directorate (Serbs residing in Kosovo) still
do need a visa.

By plane

.Ruzyně
Airport – located about 10 km west of the centre of Prague, (Praha in
Czech), is a hub of Czech national carrier – Czech Airlines (ČSA), a SkyTeam member.^Aug 10, In West Virginia 35 people were killed in the crash of a Piedmont Airlines Fairchild FH-227 at Kanawha County Airport.

^The overwhelming majority of Americans can't locate the Czech Republic or Slovakia on a map let alone know anything about either country.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^M. ARDIET-Nuremberg, March 16 Gauleiter Streicher proclaims publicly that the Prague affair is only a beginning and that the Democracies are doomed ....................................................

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

The easiest way to get to your hotel from the airport is
praguetransfer.net [3], a minibus company
that provides a cheap door to door service. Book your shuttle in
advance at their website. .If you need to get to another city from
the airport, you can book at the same company's website specialized
in long distance transfers to all cities in the Czech Republic.^The Czech Republic is essentially a country of small cities and towns.

.If you are in Bavaria, Saxony or Thuringia, the cheapest way
to get to the Czech Republic is to take a "Bayernticket",
"Sachsen-Ticket" or "Thuringen-Ticket" (up to 5 people per ticket,
which costs 25 EUR; only regional trains) to the border and then
buy a Czech ticket on the board (with 30 Kč surcharge).^Czech Republic Scarf - Buy it now for only $21.99 .

The
Bayernticket is valid in fast trains from Nuremberg and Munich to Prague.

Get around

.IDOS [7]
offers an exceptionally useful website with integrated timetables
for all trains and buses in the Czech Republic, including all
intra-city and inter-city transports.^At least he new it used to be the Czech Republic.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The Czech Republic had numerous protests from it's citizens against the stupid missile defense system, which will only make them a target and not provide any protection at all!

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

There were also
flights operated by Discovery Link, from Prague to Uherské
Hradiště, but this airline stopped its flights in 2005.

By bus

A cheap and excellent means of travelling between Prague, Brno, Plzeň and Liberec are the buses from Student Agency. A
line to Ostrava via Olomouc was introduced
recently. .Apart from this operator there are many other bus
companies that link Prague and many other cities regularly.^Supporters of the ODS are, in general, highly educated business people who come from Prague or other major cities.

The
buses leave Prague from Florenc Bus Station or Černý Most Bus
Station (both are also Metro stations). Except for the
Praha-Ostrava line, the buses are bit faster and cost less than the
Czech trains (not considering discounts). .Usually, you do not have
to book a seat but if you travel on Fridays or before holidays from
Prague, it is recommended.^We recommend that you have at least two free pages in Visas section of your passport before any international travel.

By car

.Driving in the Czech Republic is not as expensive as it is in
other countries, but there are specific things that must be kept in
mind.^The Czech Republic has sent experts on the management and planning of water resources to the developing countries of Africa and Asia.

^The Czech and Slovak dissidents laid the groundwork for a "civil society" in Czechoslovakia, just as KOR and other Polish dissident organizations, then Solidarity, also Hungarian dissidents, did in their countries.

^With respect to the development launched by the UNCSD, it must be stated that the Czech Republic fully acknowledges this activity and in the frame of its possibilities takes part in the relevant activity of this UN body.

.The first thing is that the Czech Republic is a zero
tolerance country.^The Czech Republic has sent experts on the management and planning of water resources to the developing countries of Africa and Asia.

^July 15th, 2008 3:32 pm ET Now I've been to the CZECH REPUBLIC and the SLOVAK REPUBLIC and one of the things I noticed is that they were TWO SEPARATE COUNTRIES!!!

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^In the Czech Republic specifically, the first governmental institutions dealing with environmental problems as a whole were founded only after 1989.

It is illegal to operate a motor
vehicle under the influence of any amount of alcohol, and
violations are very heavily punished.

.The people in the Czech Republic drive sometimes aggressively,
but it is not same "madness" like in southern Europe countries for
instance.^July 15th, 2008 3:32 pm ET Now I've been to the CZECH REPUBLIC and the SLOVAK REPUBLIC and one of the things I noticed is that they were TWO SEPARATE COUNTRIES!!!

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The Czech Republic was originally a source country but it has been changed to a transit and target country for victims of trafficking in people.

In order to drive on the well-kept motorways, however, you need
to purchase a toll sticker. .These stickers cost about CZK 220 for
seven days (for vehicles lighter than 3.5 tonnes), but can be
purchased for longer periods of time (1 month or a year).^The Environmental Remediation Programme was launched in 1993, and in the period 1993 to 1996, 473 projects were supported in a total amount of 372.4 million CZK (about 10.5 million USD).

If you do
not have a toll sticker on your car when you drive on the
motorways, the fines can be very steep (CZK 5000 minimum).

Make certain that you purchase the correct toll sticker: there
are those for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes in weight and those for
vehicles between 3.5 and 12 tonnes. Vehicles larger than 12 tonnes
in weight must use an on-board unit ("premid" unit) to pay tolls
based on distance.

.The condition of many roads is improving, but to be safe, drive
on the motorways as much as possible, although if you want to get
the remote parts of the country you will be forced to take bumpy
side-roads sometimes.^On August 15, 1997 the Slovakian Head of State told the Slovak Radio that he had told Horn, To have the two countries make it possible that a population exchange take place.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^How many of you can name the countries that border afghanistan without looking at google earth?

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

Speed limits in the Czech Republic are usually 130 km/h on
motorways, 90 km/h off of motorways, and 50 km/h in towns. .Petrol
is inexpensive compared to the rest of Europe (CZK 31 / 1,35€), but
it is expensive compared to the United States.^The principal strategic goals of the State Environment Policy are (1) to reach by the year 2005 the level of environmental quality reached by Western Europe in 1990, and (2) to reach a level comparable to Western Europe by the year 2015.

By train

It is now possible to purchase Czech Rail tickets online. To do
so, visit the Czech Rail EShop [9]. .Tickets
purchased in advance online are often much cheaper (sometimes over
50% cheaper) than tickets purchased at a train station.^Ensuring that by year 2000 more than 50% of youth -- gender balanced -- have access to appropriate secondary education or vocational training.

.For a
ticket that travels internationally, you must purchase at least 3
days in advance.^We recommend that you have at least two free pages in Visas section of your passport before any international travel.

.For domestic tickets, you should be able to
purchase the same day if tickets are still available so long as its
at least 30 minutes before departure.^There is also a mandatory 30-minute rest period during the eight-hour day.

.The trains go even to the most remote locations of the Czech
Republic and unlike buses, they also operate regularly during
off-peak hours.^They are called the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The State Environmental Policy will be updated regularly on the basis of the National Performance Review, published annually in the Czech Republic.

However, outside the modernized main corridors, the
standard of travelling is often the same as it was in the 1970's,
and therefore it is quite time consuming to get to the provincial
towns or villages. .The trains tend to meander around the
countryside and while this may sound like a nice afternoon ride,
it's usually more hassle than it's worth.^Ensuring that by year 2000 more than 50% of youth -- gender balanced -- have access to appropriate secondary education or vocational training.

^He may or may not have more energy than McCain, but he has no seasoning and VERY little experience of any kind.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

However, things are
changing constantly and we can expect some further modernization in
the near future.

.Due to the complicated discount policy of the Czech Railways [10] (especially for
foreign travellers), the standard one-way tickets are twice as
expensive as the bus.^The state had one state financial bank, 21 Czech joint-stock companies, 6 partly owned foreign banks, and 7 foreign banks.

^"In foreign policy, our aim is twofold: (1) To fight Bolshevism by every means, and especially through the operation of the anti-Comintern pact.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^STATUS REPORT: In the Czech Republic, implementation of environmental policies is funded from the State budget, the State Environment Fund, the National Property Fund, Private and Semiprivate funds, and Foreign Aid.

.However, you can get a discount for a return
ticket, for group tickets (two travellers are considered as a
"group") or with a special "customer" card.^We recommend that you have at least two free pages in Visas section of your passport before any international travel.

.Especially the group
discount is very useful, because you get the same fare as using the
customer card (75% of standard ticket price) even for two people
and from the third traveller on you pay half of the standard
price.^The same year, there were approximately 965 mobile phones in use for every 1,000 people.

The customer card (In-karta) costs 990 Kč and is valid for three
years. .This makes the trains much more useful, sometimes even
cheaper than buses.^Obama has slipped up much more than McCain, and Obama is still a young kid.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^In all fairness, however, it must be stated that the Czechs treated the Germans much more brutally than the Slovaks the Hungarians.

^THE language used by the wireless station in Vienna on the Czechoslovak crisis, being more forceful than yesterday's broadcast, is creating intense anxiety here.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.Its price can be recovered quickly but it takes
some time (about one month) to issue the card and you need a
photograph.^At about this time, a few intellectuals, including the playwright Vaclav Have l (b.1936) and the novelist Ludvik Vaculik, issued a 10-point manifesto , signed by ten dissidents.

^This is exactly what other nations dislike about Americans – that we think we are better than others and do not need to know about global issues.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

You have to fill in a form and add a passport photo.
You will get a paper card. After one month you will get a chip
card. With this card you can use the "electronic wallet". This
"wallet" may be very useful. For the complete list of discounts in
English visit Czech Railways' website [11]. If
you are under 26 years, you can have a "junior-card". The card
costs 330 Kč for three years. With this card you
will get a discount of 25%.

If you take Supercity (SC) Pendolino, you have to tell at the
counter when you buy tickets because they do not know what kind of
train you will travel with. There are extra charges for these
trains mentioned above. .If you are not sure, try to ask for help
some younger people waiting in the queue as they should speak some
English.^If you need to make a phone call to someone in another country and you are not quite sure how to dial the number, then this service should hopefully help you.

Travel tip

.Between two regional capitals you can use your customer card
even more efficiently.^I leave it to your discretion to make whatever use of this information you may consider desirable.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

With a chip card you have the "electronic
wallet". At several stations you can find a special blue dispenser.
Unfortunately, it is in Czech only. Touch your card to the image of
card. The dispenser will show you some options. One of them is
"Tickets eLiška" (Jízdenky eLiška). Click and you will see the
regional capitals. If you buy the ticket in advance, you will have
a discount. See the link with the list of prices:
[13].

.In order to pay these tickets with your "electronic wallet", you
have to deposit money on your card first, which you may do
conveniently at any counter at the station.^I leave it to your discretion to make whatever use of this information you may consider desirable.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^Donors: You may wish to describe here how Agenda 21 has influenced your ODA policies in this area.

.Another possibility is
to buy the ticket online and pay with a
credit card, after which you can print the ticket from the PDF or
possibly pick up your ticket at any station.^John838 said: August 14th, 2009 at 10:17 am If you have to do it, you might as well do it right buy , online , online , , , .

If you travel in a group to longer distance, the cheapest
variant can be ČDNet - daily ticket for the whole Czech
rail network. It is valid for one person and costs 600 Kč (or 450
Kč for ISIC holders and also for the holders of In-karta. There is
similar daily ticket SONE+ for travelling on Saturdays and
Sundays. It is valid for groups to 2 adult members and costs 450
Kč. For travelling by Supercity trains you need to pay a
surcharge.

.Although many train stations were repaired and modernized, the
rest is still like a trip back in time to the communist era.^Although the Communists were beaten back, the offensive was seen as a major setback for the US and its allies.

.Trains are generally safe (there are regular police guards
assigned for fast trains) and very popular mean of transport and
they are widely used both by students and commuters.^They are generally low (CZK 2/m3; US$ 0.077), and there are many exemptions.

Prague has a
pretty good network of local trains connecting it with suburbs and
surrounding cities and the tickets bought for these trains are
valid for municipal transport. .The new and developing Esko Prague
system is efficient to use.^NEW ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS: The current system of economic instruments is based on the use of charges.

.Check Prague integrated transport (PID)
[14]
(in Czech only).^M. DE LACROIX-Prague, March 14 It appears to be confirmed that Germany is insisting on the dismissal of several Czech Ministers, and perhaps of the entire Cabinet ............................................

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Pet in train

Smaller pets in cages or bags may travel for free. Bigger dogs
must have a muzzle and must be on a leash. Price is very low, only
15 Kč one way or 30 Kč for the whole day (until midnight).

By bicycle

.The Czech Republic is an excellent place for cycling.^The population of Czech Republic in 2005 was estimated by the United Nations (UN) at 10,212,000, which placed it at number 78 in population among the 193 nations of the world.

.There are
lots of pleasant country lanes, cycling marked paths and
picturesque villages along these paths (always with a pub...^Twice There was a Country, 2nd ed., Cambridge, 2000; see also bibliography at the end of these Lecture Notes].

), it's
easy to find the way, and the trains have bicycle racks in the
baggage section for when you get tired. Try cycling in South Moravia region (close to
Austrian borders) where you can find dozens of well-marked paths
that will lead you through beautiful countryside full of vineyards,
vine cellars and colourful villages.

Also border mountains (Krkonoše, Šumava, Jeseníky etc.) are more
and more popular among mountain-bikers. There are usually no fences
along the trails but always keep to the marked paths here as these
mountains are "CHKO" (i.e. protected as national natural heritage)
and you can be fined if you cycle "off the beaten track".

CzechCycling.info [15] is a non-profit website
with cycling information for Prague and surrounding areas.

On foot

.In addition to walking in the cities, there are a great number
of hiking paths and scenery-rich trails going through the Czech
Republic's forests and natural areas, and the Czech Tourist Club
(Klub českých turistů)
[16] has mapped and marked these trails so that walkers can
easily locate and navigate thousands of kilometres of scenic paths,
in fact it is probably the best maintained system of marking in
Europe.^The Czech Republic is a strategically located landlocked country in Eastern Europe.

^They will be so rich by approving this system that they will be able to afford to move out of the Czech Republic, should any dangerous situation arise from this agreement, while the citizens of the Czech Republic are left to deal with any crisis which may occur.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^Welcome to Czech republic Czech Republic The Heart Of Europe (PAL) Find thousands of answers for hundreds of subjects at Smart QandA .

.You can buy maps of their paths on their website
[17], or in the Czech Republic in most bookstores, tobacco
shops or museums (green maps, marked with the organization's symbol
and the words EDICE TURISTICKÝCH MAP KČT 1:50000
[18] at the top).^Czech Republic visa Top 5 requested .

These maps are based on military maps and
very precise. .It's also possible to go by train to a small village
at the edge of a forest and find the on-site map of the surrounding
area, and four possible paths will be visible, marked in red,
yellow, green, and blue nice tourist maps [19].^Forest in large-scale and small-scale protected areas covers approximately 27% of the forest area.

Nearby such a map will be a set of directing signs, usually posted
to a tree, pointing the initial direction on any of the coloured
paths. The path's colour will be marked on trees throughout the
path: three short horizontal bars, the outer two white and the
innermost the colour of the path you're on. This symbol at times
will appear as an arrow, indicating a turn. Bus and train stops
will also be indicated on signs. .You can also register to become a
member
[20] of the Czech Tourist Club, where you can camp for 30–50 Kč
a night in cottages
[21] around the Czech Republic.^Progress in the implementation of sustainable development at governmental level Up to now the Czech Republic did not officially prepare a national Agenda 21 sensu stricto .

By thumb

Hitchhiking is very common and some drivers stop even on places
where they shouldn't.

Take care to use very a clear gesture with the thumb pointing
upwards. A gesture looking like you are pointing to the ground may
be mistaken for prostitution solicitation.

.As a word of advice, if you are hitch-hiking through the Czech
Republic from the south to the German town of Dresden,
never go to or past Prague unless you are in a ride going
all the way to Dresden.^In 1993, the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic was founded to ensure equal access by all researchers to funding sources, regardless of their status in the organization.

^Between Czech and German Ministers there are no negotiations in the true meaning of the word.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.Prague itself has no major and continuous
beltway, so residents of the area must maneuver a ring of major and
local roads to get around the city from south to north.^On the other hand, on March 12 no preparations could be noticed in Austria north of Vienna, or in Vienna itself.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^Supporters of the ODS are, in general, highly educated business people who come from Prague or other major cities.

.Therefore
the great majority of traffic you will encounter is going into the
city.^Im going to go ahead and say that the majority of you Obama supporters didn't even know that.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^By 1997, proposals to switch the country's pay-as-you-go pension system into one incorporating mandatory private savings and voluntary pension insurance were developed.

.Past Prague, the previously major highway turns into a
two-lane mountain road through local villages, in which again, the
great majority of traffic is local and international
travelers are hesitant to stop.^This is a listing of major agreements/conventions (not already covered) entered into and relevant to Agenda 21: Bilateral cooperation is based on agreements that were concluded in the past.

By thumb with pet

It is possible to hitch-hike with smaller dog, although "waiting
time" will be longer. Expect another dog in the car.

Talk

The main language spoken is, not surprisingly, Czech. .The Slovak language can also be
often heard, as there is a sizable Slovak minority and both
languages are mutually intelligible (at first, you might think they
are dialects of each other).^The Czechs are once more accused of using violence not only against the Slovaks but also against others, and especially against members of the German minority and citizens of the Reich.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.Czech people are very proud of their
language, and thus, even in Prague you will not find many signs
written in English (outside of the main tourist areas).^Many older Czechs speak German; many younger people speak Russian and English.

^July 15th, 2008 2:57 pm ET LOL. How can you judge him if Obama doesnt even know how many states we have here.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^They went on thinking this way even though the proposed Czech reforms were condemned in Prague and Moscow for allegedly aiming at a return to capitalism.

.Many older
people, especially outside the large cities, are also unable to
converse in English, so it's good to learn some Czech or Slovak
before your arrival.^Many older Czechs speak German; many younger people speak Russian and English.

However, most young people speak at least some
English, as it has been taught in most schools since 1990.

.Most Czechs speak a second and often a third language.^Under Empress Maria-Theresa (1740 – 1780) Bohemia became part of Austria, and the most industrialized part of the Austrian Empire, but Czech culture and language were suppressed.

^To judge from the German papers, which used not only the same language but exactly the same expressions as in September last, the lives of the 500,000 Germans in Czechoslovakia were in the most serious danger.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.Russian was taught very extensively under communist rule,
so most people born before c.^Under Communist rule, Czechoslovakia's government was so centralized that little to no local government existed.

1975 speak at least some Russian (and
often pretty well). .However the connection with the communist era
and the Soviet led invasion in 1968 (as well as today's
Russian-speaking criminal gangs) has given this language some
negative connotations.^Alexander Dub č ek (1921 – 92) was secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party and principal leader of the 1968 reform movement that ended with Soviet intervention.

.It is also not very useful with younger
people, as it is not, despite the common misconception, mutually
intelligible with Czech (beyond some similar words and simple
sentences).^Many older Czechs speak German; many younger people speak Russian and English.

Other languages, like French or Spanish, are also
taught in some schools, but you should not count on it. People may
also understand some basic words or simple sentences in other
Slavic languages (Polish, Serbo-Croatian, etc).

.The Czech and Slovak languages are very difficult for
English-speakers to grasp, as they, like their sisters, can be
tongue-twisting languages to learn (especially Czech) and take time
and practice to master, especially if you're not really familiar
with the other Slavic languages, including Russian.^It is timely because Victor Orbán , the Hungarian Prime Minister, has answered a question in a way that caused a major uproar in Czech and Slovak circles.

^July 15th, 2008 3:32 pm ET Now I've been to the CZECH REPUBLIC and the SLOVAK REPUBLIC and one of the things I noticed is that they were TWO SEPARATE COUNTRIES!!!

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The Czechs are once more accused of using violence not only against the Slovaks but also against others, and especially against members of the German minority and citizens of the Reich.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.However, if you
can learn the alphabet (and the corresponding letters with
accents), then pronunciation is easy as it is always the same -
Czechs and Slovaks pronounce every letter of a word, with the
stress falling on the first syllable.^There hasnt been one word, or doubt from the lips of a single Czech or Slovak intellectual.

^The Constitution of the Slovak Fascist State discriminated against the Jews in exactly the same words as Decrees 33 and 108, which deprive Hungarians of their citizenship and expropriates their properties.

The combination of consonants
in some words may seem mind-bogglingly hard, but it is worth the
effort!

The Czech language has many local dialects, especially in
Moravia. .Some dialects are so different that they can be sometimes
misunderstood even by a native Czech speaker from a different
region.^While the local Czechs or those who settled earlier in the Sudeten region returned, they generally assumed a reasonable attitude.

^They have even gone to the length of asserting that the Czech Government is mobilizing.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.However all Czech people understand the standard Czech (as
spoken in TV, written in newspapers and taught in schools) and
should be able to speak it (but some are too proud to stop using
their local dialect).^Many older Czechs speak German; many younger people speak Russian and English.

Buy

.The currency of the Czech republic is the
koruna (crown), plural koruny or
korun. The currency code CZK is often used
internationally, but the local symbol is Kč (for
Koruna česká).^At least he new it used to be the Czech Republic.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^For many of us those old names die hard when they are not used with great frequency, and let's admit it, how often do we hear about the Czech Republic?

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^The Czech Republic has a total of about 13 cu km of freshwater resources, of which 2% is used for farming and 57% is used for industry.

Some major stores (mainly bigger chains) will accept Euros, and
it's also fairly common for accommodation providers to quote the
price in Euros.

Never exchange money on the street. .Also, if
you're in Prague, don't exchange it in the banks.^The Prague Stock Exchange has been trading debt securities (mostly government and bank issues) since April 1993.

The "real"
exchange rate you should be looking for can be found here[23]. .There is no
"black market" with better rates, but there is a good chance you'll
end up with a roll of worthless paper.^The laws did not contain testing requirements for the environmental toxicity of chemicals, and there were no laws on good laboratory practices.

Be very careful when you are
exchanging money at a small exchange kiosk. They try to use tricks
in order to give you a bad exchange rate. Ask for the total amount
you will get and recompute it by yourself. Do not trust "0%
commission" in big letters signs (usually there is "only on CZK
buy" amendment in small letters). On this [24] website
you can get good overview of reliable exchange places and rates. In
any case, ones gets the best rates by using ATMs instead of
changing cash.

Major stores throughout the country accept Visa and EC/MC, as do
all the tourist stores in Prague.

Olomouc, a vibrant
university town with the second largest historic center after
Prague.

^Universities in the current Czech Republic include the world-famous Charles University at Prague (founded 1348); Palacky University at Olomouc (1576; reestablished 1946); and J. E. Purkyne University at Brno (1919; reestablished 1945).

^Dn (especially sustainable energy sources), d'r nad Szavou (waste management), esk Krumlov (environmental management in a town proclaimed by UNESCO as a site with world wide importance as a cultural and historical heritage), Mikulov (in cooperation with environmentally oriented NGO's - development of ecotourism in a transboundary area).

Do

Hiking

.Czech Republic has an excellent and sophisticated system of
trail blazing, marked trails are about everywhere.^The Czech Republic had numerous protests from it's citizens against the stupid missile defense system, which will only make them a target and not provide any protection at all!

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^Brief summary of any particular UN System response affecting this country/state: The Czech Republic is a member of OECD and an associate member of EU. .

.Choose an area,
buy a hiking map for the area (best brand is "Klub českých
turistů", 1:50000 military based maps covering the whole country,
available in most large bookstores) and go.^STATUS REPORT: Forests cover 33% of the country's territory (2,631,000 ha) and these areas are increasing (see other data).

^I hate to point out his age, which he frequently does, but this is not a good characteristic of someone who is going to be leader of the most powerful country in the world.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

Swimming

.Many places in the Czech Republic are great for swimming, and
there are many designated public swimming areas (called
koupaliště).^They are called the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^For many of us those old names die hard when they are not used with great frequency, and let's admit it, how often do we hear about the Czech Republic?

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

.Although the Czech Republic is a land-locked country, it does
have a lot of nudist/naturist beaches near lakes.^As part of the EU, the Czech Republic can tap into a large market, and its maturing economy allows it to compete with countries from Western Europe.

A full list is
available here: [26]. Full
nudity on other beaches is legal, but rare, and usually only
happens in non-crowded places.

Pub Crawl

.There is a Pub Crawl that meets every night under the
astronomical clock in the Old Town Square of Prague at 9:15. Its
cheap and they take you to some cool pubs, bars and you end up at a
night club.^Some of you will soon reply me to shut up because it's American problems.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^Some 13.3% of the population is over 64 years old, and 18.3% is under 15 (1996).

Its a really good way to see what the Prague night life
is really like. Even in the off season.

Geocaching

.Geocaching is a popular sport in the Czech Republic, there are
thousands of caches both in the cities and in the country.^Welcome to Czech republic Czech Republic The Heart Of Europe (PAL) Find thousands of answers for hundreds of subjects at Smart QandA .

Czech
caches are usually listed on geocaching.com and the descriptions
are often bilingual (Czech and English).

Chimney climbing

.Czech Republic is one of the very few (if not the only) country
to have an official chimney climbing association - "Svaz českých
komínářů" or the "Union of Czech Chimney Climbers" - a
state-registered civic organization of people who climb factory
chimneys and cooling towers as a leisure activity and also take
part in industrial architecture history documentation as well as
chimney maintenance and preservation.^Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (est.

Eat

Tipping is a standard 10%, and is not normally
added to the bill. .Don't be confused by the percentage figures
listed at the bottom of the bill - by Czech law, a receipt must
show the VAT paid (19% in most cases) - the VAT is already included
in the final amount, and you should add 10% to this.^You should understand that we intend to settle the question finally.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^But M. Chvalkovsky did not succeed in persuading Prague to accept this plan, which must already have almost amounted to a Protectorate.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

It is normal
practice to give the waiter the tip before you
leave the table. Tip is not obligatory - if you weren't
satisfied with services offered, don't bother tipping.

.In a vast majority of better restaurants located in major cities
you can pay by credit card (EC/MC, VISA), but don't be surprised if
a few will not accept them.^Though most transactions are still in cash, credit cards are gaining a wider acceptance within major cities.

Make sure to check the door for
respective card logos when entering the restaurant or ask the
waiter before ordering. Czechs sometimes use special meal tickets
(stravenky) to pay in some restaurants - these are
tax-preferred and subsidised by employers. .You won't get these
tickets unless you get a job in the Czech Republic, just don't be
surprised when you see them.^Regional/International Cooperation: The Czech Republic is a signatory to the most important international conventions for environmental protection, and has met the obligations and commitments of these conventions.

^July 15th, 2008 3:02 pm ET I see the Senator is stuck in the past Just a little history – Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Solvakia in 1993.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

^"I see the Senator is stuck in the past Just a little history – Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Solvakia in 1993.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

Traditional local food

Traditional Czech food is hearty and suitable after a hard day
in the fields. It is heavy and quite fatty, and is excellent in the
winter. .In the recent time there was a tendency towards more light
food with more vegetables, now the traditional heavy and fatty
Czech food is usually not eaten everyday and some people avoid it
entirely.^Before World War II, Czechoslovakia favored traditional export-oriented light industries, including food processing.

.However nothing goes as well with the excellent Czech
beer as some of the best examples of the traditional Czech cuisine,
like pork, duck, or goose with knedlíky (dumplings) and
sauerkraut.^However, after the fifth year, some students may choose to enter more specialized programs that will include their secondary education studies as well.

The first dish is hot soup (polévka). .The second
dish is the most important part, very often based on some meat and
side-dish (both served on the same plate).^Both states maintain a customs union that continues most of the same trade policies of the former Czechoslovakia.

The third, optional part
is either something sweet (and coffee) or small vegetable salad or
something similar.

Czech cuisine knows many different kinds of soup
(polévka). The most common are
bramboračka - potato soup (sometimes with forest
mushrooms), hovězí vývar - clear beef soup
(sometimes s játrovými knedlíčky - with liver
dumplings), gulášovka - thick goulash soup,
zelňačka - thick and sour cabbage soup,
česnečka (strong garlic soup, very healthy and
tasty, but do not eat this before kissing),
kulajda - thick soup with forest mushrooms and
milk, hrášková polévka from young green peas,
čočková polévka from lentils,
fazolačka from beans, rajská
polévka - tomato soup, and many others. A special case not
to everyone's tastes is držková polévka made from
cow stomach. Rybí polévka - thick fish soup made
from carps (including its head, some innards, roe and sperm) is the
traditional soup of the Christmas Dinner.

Some soups are eaten with bread, sometimes small croutons are
put inside the soup just before eating. Soup can be also eaten as
the only dish, especially for a smaller dinner.

The second dish (main course, hlavní jídlo) of a meal is (in the
traditional cuisine) often the famous heavy and fatty part, very
often based on pork, but also
beef, chicken,
duck, or other meat. .Important part of most main
courses is side-dish (the whole dish including the side-dish is
served on one plate) - usually cooked or baked potatoes, fries,
rice, pasta or the most typical side-dish of the Czech cuisine -
knedlíky.^Nuclear power is an important part of the Czech.

^Herr von Ribbentrop and various Nazi high Officials and dignitaries, in particular with Herr Keppler, who appears to have played an important part in the whole affair.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Knedlíky (usually translated as dumplings) come in many
different kinds. Most kinds are used as side-dish, however some
kinds with filling are used as dish by itself. The most common
type, always used as side-dish, are houskové
knedlíky (bread dumplings). These are cooked in a
shape of a cylinder, which is then cut into round slices about 8 cm
in diameter remotely resembling white bread. Houskové knedlíky are
served with Czech classics such as guláš, similar
to Hungarian goulash but with a thinner sauce and less spicy;
Svíčková na smetaně, beef sirloin with a creamy
root vegetable (carrot, celeriac, parsnip) sauce, served with a
tablespoon of cranberry sauce, a slice of orange and whipped cream;
Vepřová pečeně se zelím a knedlíkem locally named as
Vepřo-knedlo-zelo, the combination of roast pork, knedlíky
and sauerkraut. .The latter combines very well with the world-famous
Czech beer, the major brands being Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus,
Budvar, Staropramen, Velkopopovický Kozel and Krušovice.^There is a long tradition of brewing in the Czech Republic; some of the world's oldest brands were invented there.

^Some of these and other consumer goods — such as the world-famous pilsner beer, ham, and sugar — had figured prominently in the pre-World War II export trade, but machinery was predominant under the Communist regime.

.If you are
lucky enough to enter a pub serving Svijany, you should definitely
order it, as it is believed to be one of the most delicious brands
worldwide.^You should seek an audience with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in order to hand him the note, the text of which you will find herewith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^You should lose no opportunity to protest against a statement which is one more proof of the German Government's bad faith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Another common kind is bramborové knedlíky
(potato dumplings), the slices are smaller, more yellow in
color, and are also always served as a side-dish. A typical
combination is roasted meet (pork or lamb for example) with spinach
and bramborové knedlíky or duck with sauerkraut and bramborové
knedlíky (or combination of bramborové and houskové knedlíky). Less
common are chlupaté knedlíky (hairy
dumplings, but there are no hairs, don't panic), which are
not sliced but cooked in shape of balls. They are also usually
served with roasted meat and either sauerkraut or spinach.

.Other Czech dishes include pečená kachna, roast
duck again served with bread or potato dumplings, and red and white
sauerkraut; moravský vrabec, known as 'Moravian
Sparrow', but which is in fact pork cooked in garlic and onions;
smažený kapr, fried carp breaded and served with a
very rich potato salad and eaten on Christmas Eve; pečené
vepřové koleno, roast pork knee, served with mustard and
fresh horseradish; bramborák, garlicky potato
pancakes; smažený sýr, breaded deep-fried edam
(the most popular cheese in the Czech Republic) served with boiled
potatoes or french fries and tartar sauce; párek v
rohlíku, long, thin hot dogs with crusty rolls and mustard
or ketchup.^Mammals commonly found in the Czech Republic include the fox, hare, hart, rabbit, and wild pig.

If you must, you can always get
hranolky - french fries. And of course, the
ubiquitous zelí (raw cabbage), which is served
with absolutely everything. Game is also very good, and includes
dishes such as kančí, wild boar,
bažant, pheasant and jelení or
daňčí, both types of venison. These are almost
always served either with dumplings and red and white cabbage, or
as guláš.

Don't expect a wide selection of zelenina,
vegetables, unless in the countryside - peppers, tomatoes and
cabbage are the most commonly-seen side dishes, often served as a
small garnish.

Visitors may be surprised when they find "American potatoes" in
the menu. These are actually potato wedges, usually spiced.

Meals You Usually Do Not Get in a
Restaurant

Generally, probably the best place to really try the Czech
cuisine is to be invited for such a meal to somebody's home.
However, it is not so easy, because people today tend to prepare
simpler and more international foods. .Traditional Czech cuisine is
often reserved to Sundays or some holidays or prepared by old
grandma when her children visit her.^There is a long tradition of brewing in the Czech Republic; some of the world's oldest brands were invented there.

This is not a rule, but it is
a common situation. In common restaurants, even the better ones,
the traditional Czech food usually does not match what the old
grandma serves. This does not mean that the food is bad or not
tasty, but it is missing something that the home preparation can
provide. In luxurious restaurants specialized in Czech cuisine, the
food can be excellent, but the luxurious style and creative
improvements by the chef often do not match the style of the
traditional folk cuisine. Again, this is not a hard rule. Sometimes
you can compliment the food in a restaurant "As if my grandma
prepared it."

.There are some dishes that are usually not served in any
restaurants or pubs, are usually made at home and are worth trying
if you have the opportunity.^Davis tried to back out but Lansky said: "You will be there at 6 p.m."

Brambory na loupačku
("potatoes to be peeled") is a cheap and simple meal usually made
in the countryside. Whole unpeeled potatoes are cooked in a big pot
and put in the pot itself or a bowl on the table. .You just take a
hot potato from the pot, peel it yourself, put some salt, butter,
and/or curd (tvaroh) on it and eat it.^But when some of you are cynical enough to defend him, you just make you America a laughing stock.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

Drink it down with lot of
cold milk. For such a simply meal it can be incredibly tasty,
especially when eaten in the countryside after a day spent outside
and chatting over it.

.Picking mushrooms in forests is a very popular activity in the
Czech Republic.^With respect to the development launched by the UNCSD, it must be stated that the Czech Republic fully acknowledges this activity and in the frame of its possibilities takes part in the relevant activity of this UN body.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

Probably not surprisingly, collected mushrooms are
eaten then. In restaurants, usually only cultivated mushrooms are
used. If forest mushrooms are served in a restaurant, then usually
only as a minor addition to a meal. Homemade mushroom meals are a
completely different story. A classic example is
Smaženice (the name is based on the verb 'smažit'
- to fry), also known as míchanice (to mix) - forest mushrooms, the
more kinds the better, are sliced to small pieces, mixed and stewed
(with some fat, onion, and caraway). Later, eggs are added to the
mixture. Smaženice is served with bread. Smažené
bedly are whole caps of parasol mushrooms coated in
breadcrumbs and fried. Černý kuba (literally
black jimmy) is a traditional Christmas fasting meal made
from dried mushrooms and peeled barley. Houbová
omáčka (mushroom sauce), served with meat and bread
dumplings is also popular. Fresh or dried mushrooms make also a
nice addition to bramboračka s houbami (potato
soup with mushrooms). Kulajda is a soup from
mushrooms and cream. .Soups and sauces are the most likely forest
mushroom meals to find in a restaurant, because they contain
relatively small amount of mushrooms.^Most forests were privately owned, and during the world wars, they were excessively exploited.

If you want to pick mushrooms by yourself, be careful. There are
hundreds of species, some of them very tasty, some merely edible,
but some poisonous or even deadly. There is also a species used as
a hallucinogenic drug. A tasty and edible species may look very
similar to a deadly species. If you do not know mushrooms very
well, you should be accompanied by an experienced
mushroom-picker.

Beer Snacks

Also try traditional beer snacks, often the only food served in
some pubs (hospoda, pivnice), and designed to be washed down by a
good beer:

Pivní sýr - beer cheese - a soft cheese, with
a strong, Cheddar-like flavour. .You should add a splash of beer to
the cheese, and then mash it all together, and serve it on
traditional Czech bread - Šumava (the name of a
region in South Bohemia) is the most common bread, a very tasty
dense loaf made from rye and carroway seeds.

Tvarůžky or Syrečky -
traditional cheese with a very strong aroma, and very much an
aquired taste.^The first act of the German military authorities after the occupation of the Czech provinces was to make Vienna the centre of a new air fleet, the Fourth [1] (South-East), made up of units stationed in Austria, Sudetenland, Bohemia and Moravia.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^Under Empress Maria-Theresa (1740 – 1780) Bohemia became part of Austria, and the most industrialized part of the Austrian Empire, but Czech culture and language were suppressed.

Often served deep-fried, but can be eaten alone,
just with some chopped onion, mustard and bread. Sometimes also
marinated in beer ('syrečky v pivu'). This cheese naturaly contains
almost no fat (less than 1%).

Romadur - traditional cheese with strong
aroma. Aroma is similar to Tvarůžky, but Romadur is different type
of cheese.

Matesy s cibulí - (soused herring) cold fish
served with onions.

If you want a warm, bigger, and more complicated meal which goes
excellently with beer, get some of the typical Czech meals based on
fatty meat (pork, duck, or goose) with sauerkraut and knedlíky
(dumplings). Another excellent option is a whole pork knee with
horseradish and bread (ovarové koleno s
křenem).

Sweets

.Czechs like sweets but consumer patterns are different compared
to France, USA or the UK. As everywhere some traditional treats
have become a mass-market production for tourists, others are
pretty difficult to be found.^On the other hand, environmentally unfriendly productions are penalized by emission charges and other economic instruments, like tax differentiations.

On the street

Lázeňské oplatky - spa wafers from Mariánské
Lázně and Karlovy Vary (major spa towns in Western Bohemia better
known by their German names of Marienbad and Karlsbad) are meant to
be eaten while "taking the waters" at a spa, but they're good on
their own, too.

^Remember, the guy needed help distinguishing from various terriorist groups and the nations they're affliated with from Lieberman and Graham.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain again cites current events in ‘Czechoslovakia’ « - Blogs from CNN.com10 February 2010 13:54 UTCpoliticalticker.blogs.cnn.com [Source type: General]

.Other major spas are Karlova Studánka (favourite
destination of Václav Havel - former Czechoslovakian president),
Františkovy Lázně, Jánské Lázně, Karviná, and Luhačovice.^Havel's rival and former prime minister, Vaclav Klaus, was elected president by a slim majority of 142 votes in the 281-member parliament after two inconclusive elections and three rounds of balloting on 28 February.

You will
find most easily not only in spa resorts but also in Prague. Have
them either out of the box on your own or heated and iced with
sugar, cinnamon or so.

Trdlo - is being offered in dedicated
sell-points in the streets of Prague. It is a mediaeval style sweet
roll from eggs and flour.

In restaurants

Jablkový závin or štrůdl,
apple strudel, often served warm with whipped cream.

Medovník - a newcomer having quickly spread in
most restaurants. A brown high cake made of gingerbread, honey and
walnuts.

Ovocné knedlíky - fruit stuffed dumplings
served either as main course or a filling dessert. The smaller ones
('tvarohové') come with plum, apple or apricot filling, the bigger
ones ('kynuté') come with strawberries, blueberries, povidla (plum
jam) or toher fruits. Knedlíky are served with melted butter, iced
with tvaroh (curd cheese) and sugar, and topped with whipped
cream.

Palačinka - not much in common with French
crepes, these pancakes are usually thicker and served with a wide
choice of fillings including chocolate, ice-cream, fruit and
whipped cream.

Cukrárna

.Try also the wide variety of rich cream cakes usually found in a
Kavárna (a cafe), or a Cukrárna
(a shop which sells all things sweet together with ice cream and
drinks, found throughout the Czech Republic and often the only
place open in small towns and villages on Sundays).^In Czech, q, w, and x are found only in foreign words.

^As a result, more than 20,000 shops, restaurants, and workshops in both the Czech and Slovak republics were transferred to private owners by public auction in a wave of "small" privatization, and through distribution of ownership shares.

.Czech cakes are
similar to their Viennese cousins due to the shared history of both
countries under the Austro-Hungarian empire.^Social welfare programs in the former Czechoslovakia dated back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Koláče - rather popular flat tarts topped with
various sweet fillings like tvaroh, povidla, mák, fruit jams,
chopped apples and nuts. Their size ranges from bite-sized
('svatební koláčky') to pizza-sized, which often contain several
fillings combined into an elaborate pattern ('Chodský koláč' or
'frgál').

Drink

Beer

.The Czech Republic is the country where modern beer
(pivo in Czech) was invented (in Plzeň).^The Czech Republic was originally a source country but it has been changed to a transit and target country for victims of trafficking in people.

Czechs are the heaviest beer drinkers in
the world, drinking about 160 litres of it per capita per year.
Going to a cosy Czech pub for dinner and a few beers is a must!

The best-known export brands are Pilsner Urquell
(Plzeňský Prazdroj), Budweiser
Budvar (Budějovický Budvar) and Staropramen (freely
translateable as "Oldspring"). Other major brands which are popular
domestically include Gambrinus,
Kozel (goat), Bernard (a small
traditional brewery, with very high quality beer),
Radegast, and Starobrno (made in
Brno, the capital of Moravia). Other fantastic beers
worth tasting are Svijany and Dobřanská
Hvězda. .Although many Czechs tend to be very selective
about beer brands, tourists usually don't find a significant
difference.^As of 2005, about 20% of the Czech labor force was unionized, although union membership was on the decline.

And remember, real Czech beer is only served on tap –
bottled beer is a completely different experience. High-quality
beer can almost certainly be found in a hospoda or
hostinec, very basic pubs which serve only beer and light
snacks. .Take a seat and order your drinks when the waiter comes to
you - going to the bar to order your drinks is a British custom!^I SHOULD be glad if you would report as soon as possible the result of the dmarche which I have instructed you to make at the Wilhelmstrasse, parallel to that of your British colleague.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

But beware, the handling of the beer is even more important than
its brand. A bad bartender can completely ruin even excellent beer.
Best bet is to ask local beer connoiseurs about a good pub or just
join them.

Beers are sometimes listed by their original sugar content,
which is measured in degrees Plato (P/°). The difference is
generally apparent in the final alcohol content. Normal beer is
about 10° (such as Gambrinus and Staropramen, which results in 4%
ABV), lager 12° (such as Pilsner Urquell, which results in about
4.75% ABV). .The latter is stronger and more expensive, so you
should specify which one you want when you order.^You should seek an audience with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in order to hand him the note, the text of which you will find herewith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^You should lose no opportunity to protest against a statement which is one more proof of the German Government's bad faith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.Czech lager is nothing like the fizzy lagers found in many other
countries.^Introduction In June 1992, the former Czechoslovakia, as many other countries participating at the Rio Conference, signed the relevant documents, especially Agenda 21.

Instead, it has a very strong, hoppy, almost bitter
flavour, and goes very well with heavy dishes like duck or pork and
dumplings or strong cheeses. .It always has a thick skim on the top
when it is served, but do not be afraid to drink "through" it, it
is fun and it slowly disappears anyway, nevertheless do not drink
the beer too slowly as the fresh cold taste (especially in hot
summers) quickly fades – the "true" Czech connoisseurs do not even
finish this "tepid goat," as they call it.^They have even gone to the length of asserting that the Czech Government is mobilizing.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

Wine

.Wine (víno in Czech) is another popular drink,
particularly wine from Moravia in the south-eastern part of the
country where the climate is more suited to vineyards.^As part of the EU, the Czech Republic can tap into a large market, and its maturing economy allows it to compete with countries from Western Europe.

^Overall, the Czech Republic has received more FDI per capita than any other country in Central and Eastern Europe, most of it going towards manufacturing, financial services, hotels and restaurants, and transportation and telecommunications.

White wines
tend to be the best as the growing conditions are more favourable
for them. For white wines, try Veltlínské zelené
(Green Veltliner), Muškát moravský (Moravian
Muscatel), Ryzlink rýnský (Rhine Riesling) or
Tramín (Traminer), or red wines such as
Frankovka (Blaufrankisch), Modrý
Portugal (Blue Portugal, named after the grape, not the
country), or Svatovavřinecké (Saint Lawrence).
Also try ice wine (ledové víno) made when the grapes are
harvested after they have frozen on the vines, or straw wine
(slámové víno) made by leaving the grapes to ripen on
straw) – these wines are more expensive and are similar to dessert
wines. .Bohemian Sekt is also popular with Czechs,
and is a sweet, fizzy wine, similar to Lambrusco, and drunk at
celebrations.^Increasingly the East German government was being forced to accede to popular demand for change, which in turn emboldened Czech citizens to make similar demands.

The best places for wine are either a wine bar
(vinárna), or a wine shop (vinotéka) which
sometimes has a small bar area too.

Spirits

For spirits, try Becherovka (herb liqueur,
similar to Jagermeister, tastes of a mixtures of cloves and
cinnamon, and drunk as a digestive), slivovice
(plum brandy, very popular as a pick-me-up),
hruškovice (pear brandy, less fiery than
Slivovice), and so on. Spirits are made out of almost every kind of
fruit (Plums, Peaches, Cherries, Sloes, etc.). Czech unique
tuzemský rum (made from sugar beet, not from sugar
cane as the Cuban rum, sold under brands like
Tuzemák to conform with EU market rules). Be
careful as all are about 40% alcohol.

Non-alcoholic

For non-alcoholic drinks, mineral waters are popular, but tend
to have a strong mineral taste. Try Mattoni, or
Magnesia, both of which taste like normal water
and still claim to be good for your health. If you want bubbles,
ask for perlivá. If you want it non-carbonated, ask for
neperlivá. Sometimes you can see jemně perlivá –
it is "lightly bubbled" water. Kofola, a coke-like
drink is also very popular, and some Czechs say it is the best
thing the communists gave them. Many restaurants don't make any
difference between "sparkling water" and "sparkling mineral
water".

Others

Restaurants and pubs do not offer water for free. .Not
surprisingly, as beer is the national drink, it is usually the
cheapest drink you can buy, with prices ranging from 15–60 Kč
(0,50–2 EUR) per half litre, depending on the attractiveness of the
pub to tourists.^John629 said: April 13th, 2009 at 6:50 pm If you have to do it, you might as well do it right cheap , cheap , cheap , cheap , buy , .

Drinks are brought to your table, and often each
drink is marked on a small slip of paper which is kept on the table
in front of you, so you can keep count of what you have had. When
you are ready to leave, ask the waiter for the bill – he or she
will calculate the bill according to the number of marks on the
paper. It is common to share tables in busy pubs and Czech people
will ask Je tu volno? (Is this seat free?), before they
sit down.

Try also svařák, hot mulled wine served in all
pubs, and outdoors at Christmas markets, grog, hot
rum and water served with a slice of lemon - add sugar to taste,
and medovina, mead, again usually served hot, and
particularly good for warming up at a cold winter market. Finally,
if you are heading into Moravia, try burčák, a
speciality found only around the end of the summer, or early
autumn. It is extremely young wine, usually white, and is the
cloudy, still fermenting stage in wine production when the wine is
very sweet, and very smooth to drink. It continues to ferment in
the stomach, so the alcohol content at the time of drinking it is
unknown, but it is usually high, creeps up on you, and it is very
moreish. .Czechs say that it should only be drunk fresh from the
vineyard, and many small private wine makers are passionate about
it, waiting up into the night for the moment when the wine reaches
the "burčák" stage.^The incidents which took place at Iglau, Brunn and other German-speaking centres were used to transform at a given moment the Czechoslovak conflict into a German-Czech conflict.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^The German-Czech crisis has in a few days reached a stage as acute as in the darkest days of September.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^It is only then, that is to say about March 9, that he seems to have taken the decisions which led to the disappearance of Czechoslovakia.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

You can see it at wine festivals
around the country, and sometimes in markets or wine bars too.

Taxi drivers: warning - negotiate the price
before you use taxi or use a reputable company (e.g. in Prague AAA
taxi, Profi Taxi, City Taxi). Prague taxi drivers are known for
taking you the longest possible way to earn more money. .Prague City
Council has introduced new regulations which will see all
legitimate taxis painted yellow.^But now, all the bird watchers are coming to our beach to see the Rusty Crumbcatcher or it’s new scientific name Breakfastus Burritus.

Public transportation is also very
cheap, fast and reliable. .In Prague, the metro runs up to midnight,
and night trams run throughout the night, all of them converging at
a central tram stop, Lazarská.

Pickpockets: Watch your pockets, especially if
there is a crowd (sights, subway, trams, in particular numbers 9,
22, and 23) Watch out for large groups of people jostling you.^Last week I was at my local beach when I saw a bunch of interesting looking people looking interested at the very, very dirty creek that runs out where we surf every day.

Beware of a particular pickpocket gang who operate in Prague - they
are mainly male, although sometimes there are women too, all are
extremely overweight and rely on their sheer size and number to
disorientate tourists. They tend to operate on the 9, 22, and 23
trams, as well as the central metro stations, usually just as
people are getting on and off. Don't challenge them as they can
become aggressive, but keep your eyes open. Prosecutions for pick
pocketing are rare as legally the police have to catch the
pickpocket in the middle of a crime.

Prostitution: Prostitution is not illegal in
the Czech Republic. However, officially prostitution does not exist
as a legal bussiness. Prostitutes do not pay taxes and prostitution
is not regulated by the state. The health risk may be very high,
especially in cheap brothels or on a street. There also have been
cases of prostitutes offering a drink with sleeping pills to their
customers and stealing everything from them. .Pay attention to the
age of the prostitute, paying a person under 18 years for sex is a
criminal offense (otherwise the age of consent is 15).

Marijuana: Marijuana is illegal in the Czech
Republic, however it is quite popular especially among young
people.^The Czech Republic was originally a source country but it has been changed to a transit and target country for victims of trafficking in people.

^This Program was established by the Department for Prevention of Criminality of Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic within the Strategy for Prevention of Criminality for years 2004 – 2007 http://www.mmo.cz/soc/spkmo04.html .

^One of the first projects realized in combating against trafficking in women in the Czech Republic was the project PHARE – Empowerment Combating Trafficking in People, which was financed by the European Commission in 2003.

In case the Police catch you smoking or possessing
marijuana, you want to be very polite with them. The reason is that
by the current law, possesing "larger than small" amount of
marijuana is punishable. What "larger than small" actually means is
left to interpretation by the Police (or judge, if things go that
far). A new law with more exact numbers is in preparation.

Other than that the Czech Republic is a very safe country.

Stay healthy

Grocery stores do not sell what Americans consider
over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin. You will
need to go to a pharmacy (lékárna), which is
usually open between 8AM and 7PM, Mondays to Fridays. .There are
24-hour pharmacies in the bigger cities, and you should find an
address for the closest one to you listed in the window of the
nearest pharmacy to you.^You should lose no opportunity to protest against a statement which is one more proof of the German Government's bad faith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^You should seek an audience with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in order to hand him the note, the text of which you will find herewith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

.If you are in Prague, the most central
24-hour one is in Prague 2 - on the corner of Belgická and Rumunská
streets - they dispense both prescription and non-prescription
drugs from a small window on Rumunská out of hours - ring the bell
if there is no-one there.^You should lose no opportunity to protest against a statement which is one more proof of the German Government's bad faith.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

^Davis tried to back out but Lansky said: "You will be there at 6 p.m."

A reputable hospital in Prague is Nemocnice na
Homolce, Address: Roentgenova 37/2, Prague 5 (tel 257 272
350). There is a foreigners' clinic (Cizinecké oddělení) there with
English-speaking receptionists who can make appointments for you.
Most doctors speak some English, and the level of care is of a very
high standard.

.Central Europe and parts of the Czech Republic have
ticks (Ixodes ricinus) which can carry
Encephalitis or Lyme Borreliosis.^With respect to the development launched by the UNCSD, it must be stated that the Czech Republic fully acknowledges this activity and in the frame of its possibilities takes part in the relevant activity of this UN body.

Ticks hide in grass and bushes,
so try to stay on trails and inspect exposed areas of skin after a
hike. Vaccination against Encephalitis is available and
recommended. If you want to bushwhack, make sure you have the
vaccination and wear long trousers. A good insect repellent (which
contains DEET), might be helpful, too. Ticks like to cling to any
soft, warm, well-perfused areas of your body (undersides of knees
and elbows, skin around ankles, groins, neck area, behind your ears
etc.) and if not removed, they'll suck your blood until they grow
about 1 cm big. Never try to scratch a tick off or pull it out,
because damaging it can cause you a serious infection. The sooner
the tick is removed, the smaller the chance of infection. Either
ask a physician to remove a tick for you, or try to remove it by
yourself: lubricate your finger with any greasy lotion and gently
wag a tick from side to side until it wobbles free. Then flush it
down the drain - never crush or burn it to avoid infection. .Watch
the affected spot: if you see a growing red spot developing there
anytime during next several months, immediately visit your
physician and tell him about that - you might have contracted
Borreliosis.^The Fhrer informed him of the coming invasion of Bohemia and Moravia and charged him, under threat of seeing Slovakia suffer the same fate, with bringing about the immediate separation of that country from Prague.

The End of Czechoslovakia (January 5-March 19, 1939)10 February 2010 13:54 UTCwww.ibiblio.org [Source type: Original source]

It is dangerous, but it can be easily treated with
antibiotics during early stage. Be wary that American vaccination
against Borreliosis most probably won't work against European
strains (B. afzelii and B. garini). Note that
ticks are sometimes present even in city parks, including
Prague.

Respect

Czechs don't appreciate when foreigners incorrectly assume that
their country was part of the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire --
both definitely false -- although it was part of the Soviet Bloc
and, until 1918, an Austro-Hungarian territory. .Commenting about
how "everything is quite cheap here" comes across as condescending
about the country's economic status, and in any case is no longer
true (other than beer).^STATUS REPORT: Forests cover 33% of the country's territory (2,631,000 ha) and these areas are increasing (see other data).

If you are knowledgable about the Czechoslovakian communist
regime following the second world war, bear in mind that this is
still a sensitive issue for many and that it is easy to upset
people in discussions on the subject.

Czechs are one of the most atheist people in the world, and are
very proud of it. This is true especially in large Bohemian cities.
Don't assume that anyone you do not know believes in God or has a
passion for Christianity. Respect that and your religion will also
be respected.

Always say hello (Dobrý den) and goodbye (Na
shledanou) when you enter and leave a small shop as it is
polite.

While dining at a restaurant with a host's family it is
customary for THEM to pick up the bill, the opposite of most
Western standards. However don't assume they will - but also don't
be surprised if they do.

Contact

There are three main mobile phone operators using the
GSM standard, their coverage is very good (except
in some remote, mostly uninhabited areas). .If you find using
roaming with your own operator too expensive or you want to have a
Czech phone number, you can buy an anonymous prepaid
card from any of the three main operators.^June 8th, 2009 at 8:14 am If you want to improve your site backlinks, this seo tool is special for you.

However, the
pricing schemes are usually quite complicated and some
investigation may be necessary to find the ideal solution (even
with the prepaid cards, operators offer various schemes including
various additional 'packages'). GPRS and EDGE is widely supported,
however 3G networks are almost nonexistent. The fourth operator
(U:fon) uses some custom standards and you have to buy special
hardware from them.

There are still some telephone boxes available,
but they are gradually vanishing since the advent of mobile phones.
Some still accept coins, but most of them require special prepaid
telephone card.

You can call emergency numbers from any phone
for free (even without any card). .The universal emergency number
112 is functional and you can use it, however you will
reach only a telephone operator who will need to contact the real
emergency service for you.^However, only 294 of them operated under valid legal provisions and only 50 incineration plants met valid emission limits.

To save precious time, it is best to
call directly the service you need: 150 for firefighters, 155 for
medical emergency, and 158 for state police.

Wifi is available in many restaurants,
especially in larger cities. You may need to ask a waiter for the
passphrase. There are also some hotspots available on the streets
and some city quarters (for example in Prague) offer free wifi
coverage for everyone. However such coverage is usually very slow
and unreliable and you may need to create an account (using a web
browser and the page it is automatically redirected to) to be able
to use it. In most larger cities, there are also several
internet cafés available.

This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!